Travel Alaska

Ocean fishing for Silvers is still going strong with limits being reached on a daily basis, halibut fishing remains strong, with many fish over a hundred pounds this week.

The river is full of Pink Salmon, about 400,000 to be exact. Silver Salmon are starting to show up in the river on every incoming tide, not in big numbers yet, but that could change any day now. This next 6 weeks will be the time when the most amount of fish are present in the system, and you have the chance at 50 to 100 fish to the boat days. (Mostly Pinks).

It may be quiet and peaceful out on the river, but it’s not this silent.

Imagine the trickle of the water, splashing of the fish, the chirping of the birds and the humming of the bees. Plus the unexpected sound of the drone flying overhead. This gives you a bird’s eye view as to what a day on the Situk River with the Lodge’s experienced guides is like.

Man and nature as one, untouched and unspoiled. This is what Yakutat has to offer.

Ready to book your next Alaska adventure? Contact The Yakutat Lodge for to answer any and all of your questions about the area or the experience. Call 1-800-YAKUTAT or email info@yakutatlodge.com.

Curious about the fishing conditions around The Yakutat Lodge? Wonder no more.

Sockeye reached 66,000 over the weir, and the King count is almost at 600 large. Even though the Sockeye season is coming to a close, the Pink Salmon have started to their march up river in big numbers. 11,000 Pinks over the weir so far, and many more to come over the next month.
Halibut and Coho fishing in the bay has been spectacular, with limits of both being obtained by Noon on a daily basis,(Coho limits are 6 per person in the Ocean). Coho will be arriving in the river system in the next couple weeks, and by mid-August, the river should be full of Pink and Coho Salmon.

Sockeye continue to pour into the Situk on every incoming tide. Commercial fishing on Sunday through Tuesday creates a slight slow down in numbers, but there is still plenty of opportunities to catch a limit of nice fish.

King populations are still down and any deliberate fishing or retention of any size king on the Situk is illegal at this point.

Pink Salmon are starting to show in very low numbers at this point and the Sockeye fishing should remain stellar throughout the month of July.There have also been reports of a couple early Silvers showing up in the commercial nets.

Sockeye season is in full swing now. With over 22,000 fish over the river at this time, fishing is absolutely amazing. Almost every hole in the river is now stuffed with fresh fish, and some red fish already resting at the old Situk confluence.

Kings have been closed by fish and game in the Situk. This means no Kings of any size including Jacks, and no targeting even for catch and release. Water flows look to be great for the rest of the month and continuing into July.

If you are one of the many individuals that have never heard of Yakutat Alaska you are not alone. Yakutat’s isolated population center is located at the mouth of Yakutat Bay with less than 1000 inhabitants. The total area spanning about 9,400 square miles, of which 7,600 square miles is land and 1,800 square miles is water. Fishing is the main industry in the well-protected area and it is an area only accessible by plane or boat. There are no roads to access this secluded wilderness meaning it is a perfect destination to unwind and reconnect with Mother Nature.

One of the many unique features in the Borough is Hubbard Glacier, which is North America’s largest tidewater glacier and one of the only glaciers currently increasing in size yearly rather than decreasing in size. Another unique natural feature in the area is that the mountain range located in Yakutat has 2 or 3 of the top 10 highest peaks in the world 10,000+ feet, which adds to the already spectacular backdrop. In addition there is a near by lake called Pike Lake which was formed during the Ice age and has the oldest species of pike on the planet, dating back its origins to the ice age. These pikes look like something from a prehistoric museum and only exist in this one location. Yakutat also has the largest run if wild steelhead in the world, making it famous for steelhead fishing enthusiasts.

The fishing in the area is also unique, having access to world-class fresh and saltwater locations at your finger tips. If you are fishing for Steelhead, Salmon or other freshwater varieties or if you are chasing halibut or rock fish from the depths of the saltwater Yakutat has trophies of all species and sizes. Having access to saltwater and fresh water in one location offers guests and anglers a very unique fishing opportunity which attracts anglers from around the world. Due to the seclusion of the location you can guarantee that you will not be sharing the waters with many others, which is unique considering iYakutat offers some of the best fishing in all of Alaska. Choosing a trip to Yakutat will be sure to nurture solitude and your connection with the great outdoors.

The surrounding area is not only for fishing, there are other attractions to take in. In summer, surfers travel to the great north for bragging rights of surfing the coldest and most elusive waves on earth. Photography enthusiasts travel from all over the world to take in the sites that have not been touched by man. There are few places on earth that have been left for the modern day explorer. This is one of those locations. If you are a bird enthusiasts, this is the perfect place to catch a glimpse of bald eagles of all maturity levels up close. With the bald eagle being one of the nations most respected species to see such an abundance is quite magical.

The Yakutat Lodge is proud to have the comforts of civilization in one of the few remaining untouched and pristine nature reserves in all of the U.S. We are happy to answer any questions you might have in regards to planning your next trip to Yakutat. For more information head to our website www.yakutatlodge.com, email us at info@yakutatlodge.com or call us direct at 1-800-YAKUTAT. We look forward to hearing from you and introducing you to the area, no matter what your tastes are.

The steelhead have now gone and early sockeye are showing up in good numbers. The river water levels are going down and the Sockeye are stacking up below the Weir. There are no fisherman on the river this time of year, so it makes for a great experience with no crowds.

The weather in the Yakutat area this time of year is usually mild and water heights are perfect for wading as well as drifting.

Limits of Sockeye are happening daily on the guide boats, and the amount of fish entering the system now shows that the numbers should be high for the season.

Early return Sockeye is showing up in decent catchable numbers below the weir. There are still plenty of Steelheads left in the system, but most are now kelts heading back to the salt.

Water levels are up to today, as they were fairly low and water was crystal clear. Rain storms last night and today have the river on a sharp rise and the remaining steelhead will more than likely push further down in the system.

The early Sockeye are in great shape and full of fight. The rising water and high tides this week will continue to bring in good numbers of Sockeye and probably a few more stragglers from the Steelhead pool. The next 2 weeks will be great fishing for anyone looking to get on the water and have the river to themselves.

Freshwater fishing in Yakutat, on the Situk River, offers a variety of fish species at varying times a year. Understanding this may change the time of year you choose to book your trip with us to The Yakutat Lodge.

If you are wanting to catch steelhead trout we suggest booking during April or May, or September through November. We offer fly, drift or spin fishing gear to best suit your preference and ability.

The Situk River hosts the largest wild-stock Steelhead population in Alaska. It hosts runs of all species of salmon including King, Sockeye, Pinks, and Silvers from June – October, in the 16 to 22-pound range. There is nothing like the peaceful and tranquil experience one has while fishing the clear beautiful waters of the Situk River, and how quickly that feeling shifts to the natural high when you hook that giant Salmon!

If you are interested in fishing for dolly warden char consider coming to Yakutat anytime of the season. They are always around, more common then the other species.

Through and through, anytime from May-November is a great time to be fishing in the Situk River and staying in the comfort of The Yakutat Lodge. With our recent upgrades to the lodge and our fishing fleet, if you are a repeat client or it’s your first experience, it will be a most enjoyable one.

For more information or to book your next trip to join the Alaskan Fishing Team call 1-800-YAKUTAT or (907) 784-3232. You can also e-mail us at fish@yakutatlodge.com any questions.

The Yakutat Lodge is sponsoring the Sportsman’s News Outdoor Writing Contest in 2017. Contestants will be submitting publications throughout 2017 for the chance to win a five-night guided fishing excursion at the newly updated Yakutat Lodge in Alaska. The winner will be joining a team from Sportsmen’s News for an all-expense paid experience of a lifetime.

The Yakutat Lodge looks forward to reading and featuring monthly publications of each finalist on their social media streams. We are complete supporters of sharing the different scopes of outdoor adventure and experience.

RULES AND HOW TO ENTER

Grand Prize Package
• One lucky winner will be chosen to join the Sportsman’s News Team on a 5 night and 4 full guide days, plus 2, ½ days guided fishing trips for Steelhead at The Yakutat Lodge in Yakutat, Alaska. The trip will take place during the summer of 2018 and with prime fishing dates. The winner will be responsible for airfare to and from Alaska as well as lodging and meals while en route.
• Contest will run from January 1st, 2017 through December 31, 2017, with up to 2 stories selected each month and published in the Sportsman’s News printed and/or digital publication. One grand prize winner will be selected from those whose stories have been published during the contest period. The winner is randomly selected through a drawing basis and will be notified via e-mail.
• Every published entry will receive a knife from Outdoor Edge and will be entered into the grand prize drawing.
• E-mail stories and photos to info@sportsmansnews.com.
• Stories should be between 900 and 1500 words and be sent as an MS Word document or pasted into an e-mail.
• Photos should be high-resolution JPG’s, TIF’s or PDF’s: if you have any questions regarding photos call (435)865-1680.
• Stories without photos will not be considered for publication or contest entry.
All stories may be edited for content and size. Published articles and photos become property of Sportsman’s News. All prizes are provided by Sportsman’s News Inc. Must be 18 years of age to win the grand prize.
All entries must include author name, address and phone number to be considered for publication. Sportsman’s News will not confirm receipt of entries.